Why Teach About Choices Each Person Has Control Over? Recognizing what is in our control helps young (and older!) people cultivate a strong internal locus of control and sense of self-efficacy, which are important building blocks for self-esteem, compassion towards self and others, having a growth mindset, and creating plans to work towards goals, hopes, and dreams. Plus, when we can identify what really is in our control, we can focus our energy on that to create change, as compared to wasting our energy on things that is out of our power.